Saving a Dime When Eating Out

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Gary

More often than not, freelancers have to get by on meager incomes for much of their career. While it's not ideal for some people, others try to make the most out of it. The internet is packed with tips for saving money in our down economy, but some are worth repeating. For me, one thing I always try to look out for is overspending when I eat out with friends. It's really easy to sit down at a restaurant and order a $9 entrée, a $3 drink and a $4 dessert without even registering the relative cost of the food. That same amount of money could rack in a complete wardrobe on a Salvation Army dollar-clothing day. Yet so many people order way too much uncessery food which, quite frankly, only lasts a matter of hours in your system.

Instead of ordering a 2000 calorie mega-meal the next time you're out with friends, why not keep things simple? Check out the "Sides" section of the menu. Often times, sides are priced in relation to adding it onto a full entrée, and when done so, comes in a smaller portion size. But in many restaurants, the kitchen/serving staff will actually "super-size" your portions when ordering a side by itself, without increasing the price in the least bit. The french fries photographed above cost a grand total of $1.99. And that was before I ate most of them, when the basket was still full. Sure, I could have ordered the $6.95 Gyros meal like I usually do, but it's often too much food for me. That extra $5 can go a long way, and when combined with a glass or two of water, a large serving of fries fills me up pretty fast.

The downside to this is, of course, the fact that most sides do not offer a complete nutritional range. But as long as one adjusts their other meals of the day at home sufficiently, this should not be a big issue for most individuals with standard diets. And it sure beats indulging on insane quantities of food, only to feel sick afterwards.

Parking Garage, Las Vegas

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Gary

Exploring The Hippie Trail on Flickr

Posted on November 7, 2008 by Gary

Sometimes I come across photos on Flickr that I just can't help but write about. These photographs, posted by Flickr user rorymac, were taken by traveler/photographer Daniel Smaller whilst traversing the Asia Overland Hippie Trail in 1977. The Hippie Trail, popular in the late Sixties and Seventies, was an overland route from Europe to Kathmandu which passed through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. The goal was to travel as cheaply as possible, often taking anywhere from a few months to a half a year to do so. Some even chose to settle in India and Nepal, living on a low budget for a matter of years. Travel was often by private (albeit run-down) private buses, hitchhiking, and trains.

Erik Pontoppidan has a great article about this overland route posted here. The sights and sounds encountered along this trail seem virtually unmatchable. Travelers, who at that time faced very little need for security, were presented with cultures that were still fairly unknown to the outside world. They found themselves traversing large expanses of desert, steep mountain passes, and snow covered hills. It was the golden age of backpack traveling, and helped to launch the movement so beloved by young folk today. This joy would be short lived, however, as American and Soviet fueled political tension in the Middle East quickly made the trail dangerous to navigate. Once peaceful and geographically gorgeous countries were turned into war zones overnight, and travel in the region all but disappeared. Though some pioneered routes that avoided areas of conflict, the trail would never quite be the same.

Though it was a hub for the adventuresome and new-age crowd, some operators did try to commercialize the trail in the mid-1970s. The most recent company to revitalize the trail is Ozbus, which navigates the route across 20 countries from London to Sydney in 13 weeks for a mere £3850. Though the service looks incredible, part of me would still rather do it the traditional way. Granted, I highly doubt I'll one day even get the opportunity to navigate this historic route. Regardless, I can still add it to my list.

The Darién Gap Is Taunting Me

Posted on October 24, 2008 by Gary

As much as I love the city and all its urban goodness, I have an immense longing to explore the natural world. I dream of someday photographing the untouched natural beauty of places like Guyana, Borneo (what's left of it), and the Patagonia ice fields. But a new location caught my attention a few days ago, when I came across this article on Dark Roasted Blend.

Photograph by Flickr user Student Charity

The fact that I can barely find any suitable photographs of the Darién Gap for this post is a good indicator of its remoteness. The Darién Gap is a 160km long by 50km wide area of undeveloped land separating Panama from Columbia. It is a geological barrier between Central and South America, and is a land entirely devoid of roads. Because it is the only way to pass between the two Americas by land, the Darién Gap serves as the single missing link in the Pan-American Highway. Because of environmental and disease-related concerns, government attempts at completing this last stretch of highway have failed time and time again. Thus, transcontinental journeys have been forced to use four-wheel-drive trucks and similar vehicles to complete their passage.

Photograph by Flickr user Student Charity

Though the gap itself lacks any roadways, life still exists within its boundaries. The Embera-Wounaan and Kuna Indians live within the region, often traveling by dugout canoe. Geographically speaking, the gap is divided. On the Colombian side, a flat marshland and swampland dominates the scene. Panama's share, however, is a lush and green mountainous rain forest. At one time, the gap's forests had immense cedrela and mahogany cover, but logging efforts have all but removed these trees.

It is the prospect of largely undeveloped geographical contrasts that draws me to this region, but because of external conflicts, I doubt I will ever be able to experience the gap's offerings. Kidnappings are common in the region due to the heavy presence of three Colombian rebel groups. Travelers and explorers, if lucky, are released within a reasonable amount of time. But ten documented murders of U.S. citizens exist, which is enough to deter me for now.

Stunning Press Photographs From Afghanistan

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Gary

I absolutely love great photojournalism. I've always believed that photographs should tell a story, and photojournalists are often masters of this skill. Most individuals only know photojournalism as the photos that appear alongside news stories. In reality, a larger, and much deeper, world of phenomenal photography exists beyond this realm. Often times, truly remarkable photography is displayed by major magazines and news agencies in the form of photoessays. The Big Picture, however, brings to light wonderful works of photojournalistic art that otherwise might have gone unnoticed. I've written about The Big Picture before, and their content never fails to impress me.

A pair of ISAF soldiers stand on a hillside overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan on the night of January 11, 2008 (ISAF Photos)

In one of their most recent postings, The Big Picture highlights photographs taken by and of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is the UN Security Council's mission in Afghanistan that works separate from the United State's "Operation Enduring Freedom." The task force is "presently made up of over 53,000 troops from 43 different nations," which represents a large cross-section of world cultures. Living in the United States, one usually only hears about American troops overseas, which is a direct result of domestic ethnocentricity preached to the nation on both a local and national level. It is great to see these foreign troops appreciated, especially through these wonderful photographs. One thing that really jumped out at me in the image above is the landscape of the city at night. Anyone familiar with San Diego county knows that the climate and landscape of East County has much in common with the geography found in the Middle East. This photograph, complete with the illuminated antennas on the distant mountaintop, could have easily been taken in El Cajon or Santee.

German Bundeswehr army soldiers of the ISAF monitor a valley during a mission near Kunduz, Afghanistan on September 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)

Though I am not an advocate of war, and I strongly believe in peaceful diplomacy abroad, a large part of me wishes to become a war photographer. The emotional intensity involved with any conflict or war provides many opportunities for great photography and storytelling. As with any art form, I have seen many lackluster war photographs. But truly great photojournalists can take a simple subject--such as a soldier standing on a hillside--and create a feeling of wonder and awe. In addition to this, war photographers stand alone in their ability to truly capture the human side of war. Through their work, direct human emotion can be conveyed. Stories can be told, and lives can be touched. Photographs can inspire hope, and alternately fuel sadness and rage. The images I have posted here are only a sample of the truly great works of art found in The Big Picture's post on the ISAF efforts in Afghanistan, and I encourage everyone to click through explore this great photojournalism resource.

Photographs courtesy of The Big Picture, posted without commercial intent and solely for the purpose of increasing awareness of their blog.

Capitol Hill Police

Posted on October 9, 2008 by Gary

If you've been following my recent bloggeries, you probably know that I tend to post images in trends. A couple weeks ago, it was images edited using Corel Painter X. Now, it'll be photos edited in Lightroom to bring out detail and tonal depth. The image above was taken during a protest in Washington D.C. back in April of this year. I initially rejected the source photograph because the composition seemed off, but I was drawn back to it by the contrast between the center officer's bright orange sunglasses, and the greys of the surrounding men. Ironically, halfway through the editing process, I converted the image to black and white. Nonetheless, I think this photograph shows great depth of field and decent visual focus. Oh, and it was shot using a 70-300mm lens I picked up on eBay for $5. That's always a plus!

Denver Alley

Posted on October 8, 2008 by Gary

The photograph above was taken in Denver, Colorado back in July. I saw this alley and, without even thinking, snapped a photo of it. The original photograph was left on the cutting room floor, but was rescued the other day when I decided to do some creative editing on it. I won't go into details, as there are thousands of photoshop tutorial blogs out there for this specific purpose, but I will say that all edits were made in Adobe Lightroom 2. What I like about the resulting image is the immense amount of unpleasant detail. Let's make one thing clear: This alley was not a clean place. Not all photography is "pretty," yet photos that are "unpleasant" can still be visually appealing. The dirt and grime of the ground and walls are what makes this photo work.

The Last Remnants of Nature

Posted on August 31, 2008 by Gary

I've often heard the argument that the United States is still a vastly unsettled country. A satellite image taken at night over the US will attest to this, as a sprawling network of highways and populated areas can be seen. Yet some of the most beautiful moments one can have with nature come from the remoteness of an area. And in this country, truly being alone with nature can be a daunting task.

I've blogged about my experiences in Colorado before, and about how business owners these days only want to make a quick buck on weary tourists. The city of Manitou Springs, Colorado is a prime example of this. Here, man even tries to simulate nature in order to draw in the crowds, even though nature is ever-present in the area. The truth of the matter is that most ordinary people just aren't happy with what nature has to offer. Seven Falls, a popular tourist attraction near Manitou Springs, would be dry most of the year due to natural conditions were it not for a series of pumps that recycle the water to keep tourists happy. The average tourist expects immediate results, and is not willing to go searching for true beauty. But unfortunately, true beauty is fading at an alarming rate.

The United States has a wonderful system of National Parks that preserve the natural world. But finding yourself truly alone in one of these parks is near impossible. Manmade distractions are everywhere, and many times, scenic vistas are crosscut with roads. The August 2008 issue of National Geographic Adventure features an article entitled The Park at the Top of the World, by Kevin Fedarko, which documents a trip down Canada's Firth River through the Ivvavik National Park. The park, a 2.4-million-acre preserve, is virtually unknown and often goes unnoticed. In Fedarko's words, "Ivvavik is where we'll have to go to witness the soft of wilderness that America threw away." If Fedarko's description and Peter McBride's photography in the article are any indication, Ivvavik National Park is one of the last truly remote places on the planet. And it is a place I someday hope to visit and document, before it's too late.